MFA Thesis Gallery

April 20-24th

10 AM - 5 PM

Reception

April 24th, 5 PM - 7 PM

Show Statement

Ballet and the Blue Ridge Mountains seem unrelated but from an early age into adulthood both defined my weekly routine. Dramatic lines, fluid movement, graceful arcs, upward curves and swells inform my ideas of beauty. The way light interacts with contours to create shadows and lines, describes mountains as well as the stage. Currently, I am left with the memory of ballet, but landscape continues to influence me each place I move. I consider my work an expression about place. In each new piece I seek balance and gesture informed by my surroundings.

The contrast of sky and landscape seems greater here in Utah than in Virginia. Often an escape from a busy day, I watch clouds drift across the sky on sunny days lost in thought and meditation. I am drawn to the ephemeral, voluminous, and graceful shapes. My ceramic work is informed by clouds and how sunlight shifts across their surface, sometimes subtle and sometimes dramatic.

Each individual form is intentionally made with thought to breath, volume, and light. Using only my fingers to shape the clay, I rhythmically make a series of pinch marks to create a soft surface. Volume expands from the inside of each form, creating lift and an illusion of lightness. The finished piece is made up from an accumulation of ceramic parts, alluding to the molecular nature of clouds. Using multiple ceramic pieces to create one larger piece allows for the creation of temporary compositions. These compositions refer to ephemeral cloudscapes and drifting movement, which can change each time it is assembled. My intention is to create variations on the idea of sky, cloud, and light with each arrangement.

MFA Thesis Gallery

April 20-24th

10 AM - 5 PM

Reception

April 24th, 5 PM - 7 PM

Show Statement

Ballet and the Blue Ridge Mountains seem unrelated but from an early age into adulthood both defined my weekly routine. Dramatic lines, fluid movement, graceful arcs, upward curves and swells inform my ideas of beauty. The way light interacts with contours to create shadows and lines, describes mountains as well as the stage. Currently, I am left with the memory of ballet, but landscape continues to influence me each place I move. I consider my work an expression about place. In each new piece I seek balance and gesture informed by my surroundings.

The contrast of sky and landscape seems greater here in Utah than in Virginia. Often an escape from a busy day, I watch clouds drift across the sky on sunny days lost in thought and meditation. I am drawn to the ephemeral, voluminous, and graceful shapes. My ceramic work is informed by clouds and how sunlight shifts across their surface, sometimes subtle and sometimes dramatic.

Each individual form is intentionally made with thought to breath, volume, and light. Using only my fingers to shape the clay, I rhythmically make a series of pinch marks to create a soft surface. Volume expands from the inside of each form, creating lift and an illusion of lightness. The finished piece is made up from an accumulation of ceramic parts, alluding to the molecular nature of clouds. Using multiple ceramic pieces to create one larger piece allows for the creation of temporary compositions. These compositions refer to ephemeral cloudscapes and drifting movement, which can change each time it is assembled. My intention is to create variations on the idea of sky, cloud, and light with each arrangement.